Despair's Last Journey

"Despair's Last Journey" by David Christie Murray is a tale about a man named Paul Armstrong, newly arrived at a lonely station nestled in the Rocky Mountains, seeking refuge dressed in city clothes. Paul struggles with sadness and detachment as the book opens in Beaver Tail, and the narrative introduces the beginning of his journey. Hoping to leave behind painful memories and mistakes, he finds refuge in the wild. Flashbacks reveal the complexity of Paul's history, including his sense of failure and his broken relationships with loved ones as he gets ready to set up camp and struggles with the burden of his past.